Police to re-open camps and posts along border with Somalia

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

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MANDERA (Xinhua) -- Kenyan authorities planed to reopen police posts which had been closed in the border town of Mandera following increased attacks by militants from Somalia.

Mandera County Administration Police Commander Albert Hama on Monday said the government will soon open all the police camps that were closed in 2013 for insufficient police officers.

The East African nation has been rocked by a string of grenade and bomb attacks since it sent troops into Somalia more than two years ago in pursuit of Islamist Al-Shabaab insurgents whom it blamed for kidnapping its security personnel and Western tourists.

"We now have enough Administration Police (AP) officers to man the closed camps, the government has deployed 100 extra APs to the county in a bid to strengthen security," Hama said on Monday.

He told Xinhua the militants had taken advantage of the closure of the security camps to carry out attacks.
He said that it was a requirement by the government that any camp must have more than 15 officers.

"Camps near the Somalia border have over 25 police officers who will strengthen our response to frequent attacks by terrorists," Hama said.

He said religious leaders, clan elders (sultans) and the government from both Mandera and Wajir County were involved in talks adding that peace in the region lay in the hands of area residents.

Hama faulted inaccessibility to troubled areas due to poor roads which has hampered police operation due to the long trek.

He said the police have also embarked on screening services and getting records of those visiting the regions in an effort to minimize risks following the recent attacks.

The government had closed down 11 Administration police posts and several others in Mandera last year due to increased terror attacks targeting police camps with less officers.

Several civilians including policemen have been killed especially in the northern counties of Garissa, Wajir and Mandera which are near the border with Somalia.

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